For as long as Gon could remember, he saw flashes of another life. Her name was Gen, just a single letter removed from his own. She lived a life in a world similar to his yet at the same time so very different. There were no monsters or magic in the world Gen lived in. There were people of course but none of them could do the amazing feats that some people in Gon's world could. Gen herself was nothing special, just another college student trying to get by when tragedy struck. Gon remembers all of this, he remembers being that strange plain girl a million worlds away but he also feels separated from her too. Gon is Gen, but he also isn't her. Gon is Gon and Gen just happened to exist alongside that somewhere.

While this was all very confusing, especially at a young age, Gon understood that his remembering of Gen's life allowed him to think better than the people around him. He was aware that he was aware of more than a child his age should. He understood things that other little boys his age didn't. Like how the word to describe his situation was called "reincarnation", or that his last name was spelled with two "e"s instead of one so that you could get that "ee" sound instead of an "eh" sound, or even the fact that his mother was dead not just sleeping like how most little kids would assume. He understood that when he turned one and a half (he can also count really really high!) and some man at night introduced a blade to his mother's gut (stabbed Gen's voice echoed in his head) and blood kept gushing and gushing that she was dead. "Blood loss," his young(old) mind supplied. He didn't cry or wail when the assailant rummaged through the dying woman's purse. Gon knew from Gen's older wisdom that if he stayed quiet the murderer would leave him be. The thief didn't want him Gen's experience told him, the thief wanted their money.

"Smart brat," the killer smirked at him while pocketing the blood money. "Don't make a sound and you'll be alright kiddo." A nasty laugh. The killer was amused. "Or maybe you're as heartless as me eh?" Gon disagreed, he loved his mother, but didn't voice his opinion.

The murderer left the mother and child in that alley in the dead of night, a fresh 56 Jenny's weighed lightly in his pockets. The shallow price of a life.

There were no last words. Gon's mother in too much pain to voice them. Too weak to muster a thought, let alone a was only silence that night as one and a half Gon sat clutching his dead mother. He was sad, in mourning over his short time with her. He was upset and devastated but he did not question the event. He didn't negotiate with any deity or question any fate. Gon understood that this was just a chance occurrence that could've happened to anyone. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Afterall, it was how Gen (Gon) died before.

It wasn't till the next morning that anyone found them. There was screaming and horrified glances when strangers stumbled upon a dead mother and her silent child. There was a lot of sound especially after a long night of mournful silence. Someone, Gon doesn't know who, picked him up and pulled him away from the cold corpse (his mom). He clutched a little tighter at her dress and received looks of pity when he quietly let out a pathetic "mommy!". But the long night (sleepless and cold, so cold) had taken its toll and Gon had no strength left to hold onto a dead woman. He let her go and it was the last time he ever saw her.

After the events of his short life (both his short existence as Gen and his current meagre one and a half years as Gon) not a lot of things surprised Gon anymore. Reincarnation is a hard thing to swallow for anyone unless you were him who just happened to remember. There wasn't much that could catch him off guard anymore (he already died once and that's pretty staggering). But new shock is roused for the first time since his rebirth in the form of a rugged man with a bright but guilty smile. The Gen in him could tell. She had always been a good appraiser of human behavior. His name is Ging.

Gon now understands that Gen has already met Gon well before she became him. Ging is the final clue that seals all doubt and cements all theories. And the shock isn't that he has a father but the fact that his name was Ging and Ging fathered Gon. Which could only mean that this was a fictional world called HunterxHunter. A television show. One Gen often watched and read. Fiction. Except now it wasn't fiction. Now it was Gon's life (thought it had always been and was always going to be). The shock from this was bigger than any Gon had ever received in either of his lives.

Ging picked Gon up and introduced himself to the one-and-a-half year old as Gon's father. There was a sheepish and guilty look on the man's face as he apologized for being absent for so long and not being there for Gon and his mother. Ging had looked earnestly into his son's eyes and said, "I'm going to take care of you from now on Gon, so don't you worry." There was determination in those words but also thinly veiled hesitation. Gon should've known, based on Gen's memories, that his father wouldn't keep this declaration. But at one year old, lonely, and having just lost his mother Gon was young and naive enough to push aside logic and put forth a child-like faith in his new found father. Gon believed the selfish man and believed that it would just be him and Ging from there on out. Just father and son.

And in all honesty, Gin put forth a commendable effort for a free-as-the-wind man such as himself. Having locked away his hunter license and settled down in a house, Ging had every intention of retiring his hunt and raising his son (until Gon grew old enough that is). It helped that Gon was not a fussy child, had an intelligence not even Ging has seen in someone so young, and a strong attachment to his father. Also the boy was truly adorable. As time passed Ging found himself falling more and more in love with the child than he ever thought possible. He loved Gon almost as much as he loved adventure.

Almost.

Ging lasted a year and three months before the call of the unexplored tugged at him once more, this time too strong to ignore (with each call more irresistible than the last). He had grown restless and jittery stuck in one mundane place for so long. Even after all those happy and fulfilling moments spent laughing and playing with Gon were not enough to convince him (though he would treasure every smile and word his precious son had given him). In the end, despite it being one of the happiest years in all of Ging's full life, he spent the last three months preparing his message and capsule for when Gon followed in his Hunter footsteps (though he hoped his cowardly self would never have to face Gon again).

A few weeks after Gon's third birthday ("Look Papa! I can blow the candles out all by myself! I… Don't tell anyone I told you or it won't come true but… I wish Papa and I can be together forever!") Ging carried his son towards a place he never thought he would ever set eyes on again. Gon asked him many questions on the trip, all of which he deflected with carefully manipulated subject changes. Sometimes he felt his son was too perceptive. Ging felt that Gon somehow knew of his deceit and plans of abandonment.

Whale island hadn't changed much in the many years he had left it. The home of his childhood stood as it always had, still small, cheery, and quaint. Bland, ordinary, and unchanged.

When Mito walked out to see the stranger approaching the property Ging noted that, while older, she like everything else on the island hadn't changed much either. And when he met her questioning gaze and saw the look of recognition flash in those warm eyes Ging almost apologized for never visiting or writing. Alas, he was a coward, greatest hunter in the world or not, and the words could not escape his caged heart.

Then Mito noticed the boy on his arm and another realization passed her face then, not a single word spoken yet, and her eyes grew hard.

Ging continued to say nothing as she began to scream and shout at him.

"How dare you!" "How dare you! Your own son! Not just us but your own son too!"

Ging shifted his slumbering son to his other arm as Mito began to beat her hands uselessly on his chest and her raging cries turned to wailing sobs. The sounds loud enough to wake Gon from her sleep.

The child took in the crying woman and the hard closed off look on Ging's face and came to an understanding.

Gon did not cry as Ging passed him over to the grief stricken Mito with a murmured, "His name is Gon." He just fixated an accusatory look on his father.

"Don't go." Were Gon's only words.

Mito's sobs grew quiet as she held the child. Ging ignored his son's words and handed her his gift for Gon, "for him when he becomes a hunter," and shifted his eyes away from his crimes.

"Don't go," was repeated.

Ging felt a tightness then, gripping at his heart, threatening to crush the impenetrable metal walls encasing it. He imagined this was the hardest thing he had ever had to do in all his life as a hunter. And with the last tail bit of resolve left in his spirit, Ging looked his son in the eye.

"I love you Gon."

"Coward." Gon's small voice cracked like a whip, striking with precision. Ging visibly flinched.

"Goodbye."

Ging turned to leave.

"From now on." Ging froze at Gon's statement. "You said you would take care of me from now on. You lied."

There was a moment, however brief, of silence and Ging let out a breathy laugh. His son really was smart. But he didn't turn around. Instead Ging started walking again. He vowed not to turn around.

Sorry my son.

"PAPA!"

Ging's step faltered. He wasn't aware his perpetually happy son was even capable of such heartbreak in a single world. He continued walking.

"PAPA! DON'T LEAVE ME! YOU PROMISED! YOU PROMISED!"

Gon's shrilled voice rang across the island, sobs finally taking hold of the child who didn't even cry at the sight of his mother's death.

But Ging was gone.

PART I

Mourning wasn't in Gon's nature. Even when his mother died he mourned her death for all of a few days before cheering up and thinking back on her fondly. He wasn't a serious child nor a sad child even despite his remembrance of his past existence as Gen. He was at his core a happy soul. Sadness didn't suit him. Even after the devastating rejection from his father Gon was quick to spring up and recover.

His foster mom Mito chalked it up to being so young. She was then surprised to find that Gon was a particularly intelligent child with a strong sense of independence. It wasn't long after he started living with them that Gon began doing off on his own to do god knows what. It was a little unnerving since he was so young barely a toddler and barely older than a babe. Mito attempted to keep him from leaving a few times but eventually found the act to be futile.

Once she realized that Gon could, despite his age, take care of himself perfectly well she backed off.

Gon was actually going off to the forest to meditate.

The plan was to activate and utilize his Nen early with Ging's actions as the catalyst and Gen's memories serving as the method. Nen was an important part of Gon's world if Gen's memories served to be true (and they have so far), and if he ever wanted to find his father again (and punch that cowardly asshole) it would be necessary to learn. Of course, memories of the show were blurry and faded with time and Gon wasn't too sure exactly what he was looking for. But if the original Gon had learned Ten within mere hours then the Gon now could do it too.

Determined he eventually settled down with a rigorous seven hour schedule of daily meditation.

It was grueling and hard and for the first couple months Gon was completely lost as to what he was looking for. What was it? Some sort of inner Chi that he had to find? It seemed impossible and the continued lack of leads was wearing him down.

Then sometime in the third month something clicked. It was as if Gon were discovering a new mark on his body that he had never noticed before, and with gentle prodding and focus the little mark on his body just opened. It was like taking a breath of fresh air, not realizing that you had been holding your breath in the first place. He had never noticed how closed off he was before.

After finding the initial starting point the training became much easier, and one after another Gon discovered each little Nen port in his body and released them. Within a month of the first discovery he had finally completed the first part of his training and accomplished Ten.

.Gon decided that he was well overdue for a deserved break and he started to spend more time at home much to Mito's excitement, spending time with his foster mother and helping out around the house. He found, to his surprise, that spending time with her was very satisfying in a way different from Ging but equally as special. He found himself even looking forwards to spending time with her whereas he had been completely focused on his training before. Gon doubted his bond with Mito would ever be as strong as the natural bond he had with his father, but he enjoyed every moment nonetheless. And even in saying that, with Gon's boundless love the bonds he made were still nothing to scoff at no matter how small and he imagined there was very little he wouldn't do for the woman who took him in and cared for him.

Mito wasn't Ging, not by a long shot. There was no instant connection between her and Gon like he had with his father. But she was a an endearing woman with some of the best qualities of humanity. It was easy to bond with her.

Gon's training and practice of Ten didn't end however, and he still kept up his training for a few more months, expanding, releasing, stabilizing his aura, before moving on the Zetsu. The process was a strain on his still young body and mind, and Gon was mindful of his limitations and never pushed himself past the point of exhaustion. After, he was dealing with his literal life force when meddling with the power. Better to take his time and improve gradually than force it and accidentally cripple himself or worse. Gen's memories provided vague information of the dangers of rushing the process. Something about if he had not slowly opened his Nen ports one by one and slowly adjust his body to the changes, he likely would've drained himself of his life force and died. It was a steady reminder that this wasn't a game, and messing around could have real dire consequences.

In addition to his Nen training Gon also took up basic body training too, something Gen often neglected in her past life. To his surprise, the laws of physics in the world didn't apply quite the same as it had on Gen's Earth. With careful and dutiful training (magical abilities aren't the only thing that can be detrimental to a young child's body) Gon discovered that his physical prowess far surpassed that of which he should've been capable of. If he remembered correctly the Gon from Gen's television show and his companions had trained only briefly and were able to push open door weighing at a ton, a feat almost unbelievable on Gen's Earth and definitely not achievable through a few days of training. The ability to leap from tree to tree with ease also flashed through Gon's mind. It was damn near miraculous the things he was capable of in this reality.

Before long Gon had turned four and Mito and Granny threw a modest brithday party to celebrate the occasion. Mito smiled at him and took him to the market to pick out a present.

They walked for a while, just window browsing, but it was an exciting event for Gon because aside from his forest hikes and the house Whale Island was largely unexplored by the reincarnated child. The market was one such place that he had maybe been to once or twice in his one year stay on the island, and only to do quick chores like buying groceries with Mito. It wasn't much compared to the big cities that Gon spent his first two years in nor the gargantuan malls that existed back in Gen's world. But it was quaint and offered much culture of the island.

They walk for maybe twenty minutes before something green catches the corner of his vision.

Gon stared at the green outfit with a feeling of strange nostalgia. He knew that this was the outfit he was meant to wear in canon. The green jacket and matching shorts were obviously meant for someone older than he, but it didn't stop his curious fixation. Mito glanced at the suddenly still boy and followed his gaze across the street to the sight of a little green outfit. She smiled and gently touched her hand to Gon's shoulder bringing him out of his trance.

"Do you want it?" She asked him kindly.

Gon thought for a moment and shrugged. "I'm still too small for that I think. Maybe in a few years." Mito just chuckled and agreed.

Another hour of window browsing passed and during that time Gon considered choosing a fishing pole when they passed by the lure shop, but ultimately decided against it. Because fishing was the original Gon's choice of weapon, and while they may be the same person Gen's Gon was still not entirely the same.

Just when Gon thought he might never find the perfect birthday present he and Mito came across a sewing machine.

Memories of Gen's lifetime as a college fashion major and all the time she spent slaving over the very machine that stood before them now flashed across Gon's mind. His fingers tingled then of long forgotten muscle memory in the action of crafting clothes, the repetitive motion of hand stitching, and the rumble of a sewing machine. It's in that very moment Gon knew exactly what he wanted for his fourth year anniversary of his rebirth.

Mito doesn't buy him the brown machine with the red trimming however, because Gon knew in his mind that this body is still unused to Gen's craft despite what the tinglings in his fingers tried to say otherwise. Instead, Mito purchased for him the much cheaper sewing starter kit at the back of the store and a bolt of blue floral fabric, with an offer to teach him how to sew.

Gon doesn't need to learn how to sew, his mind knew the skill where his body is new. But Gon discovered a new favorite pass time in sitting silently, but comfortably, next to his foster mom and just sewing in the afternoon. Mito had quirked an eyebrow when she first observed his knowledgeable but inexperienced stitchings, but at the same time marveled at the determination and cleverness in her foster son's practice.

With sewing now taking up Gon's afternoons, when he returned back to his Nen training he settled with a new routine. Prepare breakfast and lunch before dawn, meditate until just past sunrise, break for breakfast, begin working on the tedious reverse process from Ten of shutting off each individual Nen port (or in other words the beginnings of Zetsu), stretches and light warm ups at ten, lunch at high noon, half an hour break to let the food settle, hard exercise for another three hours, head home for shower and a two hour long sewing session with Mito, help Mito and Granny Abe prepare for dinner, eat dinner, miscellaneous chores, then finally Nen training again until nine thirty, and bed. Rinse and repeat.

It wasn't the easiest schedule to follow but after so many months of nonstop meditation Gon's mind was resilient enough to follow through with the routine. And to his delight the Zetsu training was accomplished much faster than anticipated, taking up only a month and a half, and his sewing skills were well on the way to being back on Gen's level.

This was around the time that Gon discovered something very interesting.

Gon already knew that his Nen class was an Enhancer, and it wasn't just from Gen's memories either since he couldn't exactly remember much from her blurry memories of the show, but there was something in him that made it clear what he was destined to do. It also helped that it came almost natural to master the next step Ren, in less than three days Gon accomplished this, and that the movement and enhancement of his Nen was as easy as breathing.

After mastering Ren and subsequently Gyo, Gon found himself using Gyo's brother Ryu is everyday life. There was very little in terms of physical tasks that he could not easily accomplish now. With barely a thought his Nen would naturally lend its powers to whatever part of him he needed at the moment. Where Mito once spent a good hour and a half daily chopping wood Gon had took over and finished within minutes while barely breaking a sweat. His already unnatural physical prowess in this world spiked and Gon could now leap higher than the tallest tree on the island.

Gon also discovered in a moment of pure curiosity (what would happen if one focused their Nen on their mind?) that like any muscle, the brain received a major enhancement when under the effects of Nen.

And boy was it eye opening.

Gon was one hundred percent positive that his mind had never processed stimuli so fast and efficiently before. One hundred percent because his memory recall had boosted to unimaginable levels that gave him near perfect recall (only when he activated the boost of course). He was almost positive that he could actually feel the brain cells multiplying and the circuits working on overdrive yet to no splitting headache such efforts would usually encite. Gon had to wonder if it was some instinctive form of Nen enhancement that created people with photographic memory, but that couldn't be true because Nen didn't exist in Gen's world.

It still made him wonder though.

But still yet, his newfound discovery of using his Nen on his brain was still not the most interesting discovery Gon made, but instead an almost direct result of it.

The last step of his Nen training was obviously his Hastu, his special skill. And while the original Gon had gone with the traditional enhancer's basic physical enhancements, Gen's Gon didn't feel like pure brute was his style. Just like he had forgone the original fishing pole weapon of choice, this Gon knew that another skill was awaiting him.

And during his next sewing session, Gon's Nen enhanced mind took one look at the needle and thread and immediately charged it with his life force.

What came after was spectacular.

After much testing and tweaking, Gon discovered that he wasn't just an Enhancer but also a Specialist.

That he can pour heart and literal soul into his fabric creations to create powerful protective clothing. And the condition he set upon himself to enhance such a skill is that the entire piece of clothing must be crafted by him in order to hold the most amount of his love, that emotion powering the Nen infused in the fabric and stitching to give it the most protective power it can achieve.

Naturally, the first thing Gon did after gaining his skill was to craft a beautiful sundress for Mito. When his foster mom saw the gift for the first time she actually fell to her knees, hugged him tight and began to cry in happiness. The reaction was a bit overwhelming but it made Gon's happy little soul shout in joy as he returned her hug for every ounce of affection and more.

Next he sewn together a warm and soft cloak for Granny Abe for her old bones when she has to make those chilly trip down their windy hill. And slowly but surely he adds to his family's collection and pretty soon most of Mito's wardrobe is spilling over with Gon's beautiful creations.

Gon didn't forgo himself either. He made outfit after outfit for himself, revelling in having fashionable clothes to wear again after so long. They live in a small town and the fashion of the city that Gen had been so used to is near non existent here. One day Gon even mischievously, with an impish grin on his face, sewn a knee length lilac floral skirt for himself.

When Mito first saw him wearing the skirt she had been rather speechless and shocked, paused in mid motion of putting plates away when Gon skipped merrily into the kitchen. But at his smile her heart melted and Mito decided that if her son wanted to wear pretty things then she was going to damn well make sure that no one told him he couldn't.

Granny Abe had just threw her head back and laughed, not unlike a witch, then rubbed the top of her foster grandson's head and proclaimed him a spunky one.

Somehow time passed by fast and Gon's sixth birthday had passed marking his third year on Whale Island. And he knew it was time for him to expand his horizons and test out his skill.

Whale Island had grown too small for the young boy, he had plateaued in his growth and knew that if he was to improve (and he must improve if he was ever going to find his father and punch Ging in the face) he would have to leave the island and test his strength against the outside world, a place where real Nen users would be.

Mito was naturally heartbroken when she came to the realization that her precious son was leaving. But with the reassurance that he would return soon after his journeys she reluctantly accepted his bid to leave. Afterall, Mito knew best just how capable Gon was despite his age.

And so, three months after his sixth year since his rebirth Gon packed up his bags and left Whale Island to explore the new world.

His first mission was to find the person who would become his best friend.

Gon set off to find Killua Zoldyck.

A/N: Honestly I have very little idea where I am going with this. I'm not even that big of a fan of HxH, I liked the first four seasons well enough (lies, I absolutely adored the show in the beginning) but it grew tedious to watch with how all over the place the plot and genre are. Especially the season with Biscuit and Greed Island, I just couldn't anymore.

But I do love the world that was built and the characters a lot. And this plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone at all. I'm not sure how often I can update this, there's definitely no schedule, but I'll post when I finish something. This chapter was in the works for quite a while actually because I just wrote it when I felt like it or whenever inspiration hit, but the story as a whole has been bugging me for the better part of a year.

Anyways! I hope you enjoyed this and I just have a few things I want to make clear:

Gon is not exactly an OC. He had memories of an OC life but he is still Gon. This isn't an OC reborn as Gon, but instead Gon remembering a life of an OC. He is still himself but with extra foreknowledge and character traits.

There will be slash. Not definite relationships soon because the characters will still be young for a good part of the story but later yes. That doesn't mean shipping and fluff won't happen though, because there will be PLENTY of that.

Does Gon crossdress plenty in this. Yes. Yes he does. Also most of his outfits will be very "neutral" in terms of gender both reflecting his male self and his female past self.

So I hope you enjoyed and I hope you'll come back whenever I get the next chapter up.

Thefirecrest 3